1/48 Airfix Dassault Super Etendard 2 Escuadrilla aeronavale de Caza y Ataque (ARA) Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego. 1982

[rwsmith14]

Dassault Super Étendard
Serial s/n: 0753 3-A-203
Tail Code: 3-A-203
c/n: 53 w/o 29 may 96, wreck
ARGENTINIAN NAVY . AVIACIÓN NAVAL ARGENTINA
2a Escuadrilla Aeronavale de Caza y Ataque (ARA)
Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego. 1982


alla Airfix most parts are off the sprue loose in the box


I will be using these excellent decals


the build will be OOB except for the Decals.. not many Aftermarket items for this aircraft

[rwsmith14]

First Update. Well after waiting 30 something years to build a 1/48 Super Etendard I have to say I'm disappointed. first I thought it would be a bigger aircraft in 1/48 then it really is... The main area for concern is the rudimentary cockpit interior and instrument panel. There is a four-piece ejection seat, but it’s woefully inadequate, even if there were a pilot to add to hide it with the canopy shut. But seeing that the canopy is moulded in two pieces, why shut it? . Alot of seam work to do. . The wing assembly if I could do it again. I would put the upper and lower wings together then install on the lower fuselage there by avoiding the gap. Wing to fuselage joints need a blend in with some correction putty and sanding, The sides of the nose area either side of the cockpit opening need a bit of filler to blend it in too.

It is what it is .. I will build this aircraft the way it deserves to be built.





Tail assembly is not attached permently

[Nige201980]

It's looking good mate

[Paul]

Off to a good start, hope it doesnt give you too much grief

[rwsmith14]

after the initial putty, and Mr. Surfacer, I don't think it will be as bad as It looked.

[rwsmith14]

First want to Apologize for the lousy pics ..had to take them inside, very windy and storms moving in outside. here is a picture from not far from where I live, from the tornadic storms



did some cleanup of the Mr. Surfacer 500 on the seams of the fuselage looking pretty good a couple more applications and clean up and she should be ready to go. Cleaned up the Mr. Surfacer with Mr. Hobby Mr. Color Thinner using a damp Cotton bud. the thinner rehydrates the Mr. surfacer moves it into the seams and the extra can be wiped away. Here before (Left side) and after (right side)





Wing roots applied with Tamiya Putty.. will sand and then wet sand. I'll re evaluate after that for the next step.

[rwsmith14]

Continued to fill and sand using Mr. Surfacer 500 and 1200. primed to checked for issues, still some areas to work but over all looks good.




Tail assembly not permanently mounted


Decided to make an inflight build. Nose and main gear landing doors fit pretty good. Place a piece of white tac in each door bay to give the door some support.



Wing roots look really good, a few minor adjustments to do. very happy with it so far, from where it came from.
a few area to clean up and she be ready for Paint,


Primed the Wing, belly tanks and Exocet missile.


Will have the IFR pod, arresting hoook and wing flaps in the deployed position when displayed to add some drama. Still have the cockpit to install which will take all of a few minutes to do because of the very basic detail. Now just have to find a pilot to instal in the "Office"

[rwsmith14]

Primed the underside of the fuselage.. getting it ready for a nice coat of US Navy insignia white from Tamiya. Will spray the white in very very thinned coats. I like to use that particular white because it is an off white.

[rwsmith14]

Time to get HOT on this build.. just lost my Mojo on this. really disappointed with the kit after waiting so long to build it. I will finish before the deadline. Here is where she sits now.

filled the gaps of the wings where the tips fold up with CA glue. will sand them then, reprime and paint. this is going to be an inflight build. Do to the lack of cockpit detail I will probably do something with canopy. dark tint or something like that.

port wing already sanded

[HistoryRider]

I can't WAIT to see more progress on this!!! I have been looking and looking for this kit and NO ONE seems to have it!!!! Looks like a bit of a stinker, but you are staying ahead of it!! Good work so far!!



-Nolan

[rwsmith14]

I can't WAIT to see more progress on this!!! I have been looking and looking for this kit and NO ONE seems to have it!!!! Looks like a bit of a stinker, but you are staying ahead of it!! Good work so far!!



-Nolan

I read Kitty Hawk or Kinetic are coming out later this year with a 1/48. so I'm looking forward to that..

[rwsmith14]

Finally have some color on it.. first coat right now. still have some re-scribing to do on the wings. Used Vallejo's Extra Dark Sea gray(UK) looked too dark gray upon first spraying. most of the images I have seen of the argentinean Super Etendard aircraft they have a blueish gray look to them. I added a few drops of Insignia blue to the Extra dark sea gray and came out with this.. looks close.. still undecided about it.




.

[HistoryRider]

Looking good!!! Good to see some color on it!!
Can't wait to see more!



-Nolan

I've been thinking about picking up the 1/72 scale Academy kit of this, but not so sure now!

[rwsmith14]

Progress;

[rwsmith14]

Remasked for a second coat of the Extra Dark Sea Grey Mix.



Paint is on
Paints used:
Vallejo Model Air 71.110 UK EXT DK SEA Grey
Vallejo Model Air 71.087 Steel Blue
Vallejo Model Air 71.091 Signal Blue

initially used as per instructions Extra Dark Sea grey. I wanted a more blue grey. Most images I have seen of Argentine Super Etendard, they look More Blue then grey. I thought the Extra Dark Sea grey was too Grey for my liking.

I mixed 5 drops of the Extra Dark Sea Grey, 2 drops of the Steel Blue, and 1 drop of the Signal blue. and this is how it turned out, I like it much better.




next up is a Gloss coat in preparation for decals.

[HistoryRider]

Looks awesome!!! Nice choice of color!


-Nolan

[rwsmith14]

major decals are on. I wound up using the kit decals vice the AM set I have. I'll save those for a future project. Kit decals were thick but surprisingly went on without any issues. still ahve some deatil painting to do before the rest of the decals go on,








I used Mirco Sol on the decals and as usual it really does the job, Great Stuff !!

[HistoryRider]

NICE!

-Nolan

[rwsmith14]

Less than 6 hrs to ago, Just waiting for the gloss coat to dry. then starting weathering. have to add the drop tank and exocet missile , which are just waiting to be attached.

[rwsmith14]

Completed with less then two hrs to go !!

see the reveal:

http://www.intscalemodeller.com/viewtop ... 66&t=13449